Tuesday, March 24, 2009

9) Don’t forget entertaining, lunches, grabbing a cup of Starbucks, dropping off some fun food. How about a giant cookie with “Thank you for letting us take a bite out of your business” Jeffrey Gitomer always has some creative ways to say thank you on his website http://www.gitomer.com/

9.5) John Maxwell in his book 25 Ways to Win With People talks about a concept called "Making a Memory And Visiting It Often" Do you create cool, fun memories with your clients that you can visit often? If not, get your ass down to the Principal's Office because we need to "Tawk" as they say in my neck of the woods!10) When was the last time you sent your client a humorous card? Think they could use a laugh or two with all the crappy headlines in the news? When was the last time you sent them an interesting article or invited them to a networking event?11) Do you have your client on a Google Alert so you are constantly in the know and have the inside track? Hopefully, you don’t just have the company on alert, you have your contact and the key players!12) Do you remember your client’s birthday?13) Do you send cards on safe holidays such as Thanksgiving, New Years, Valentines etc? Craig Wilson has a great website called Send Out Cards: http://www.soclink.com/connectwithcards Cathy Robbins has a company called Good Cause Greetings www.goodcausegreetings.com.14) Does your client have a charity or cause they are involved in that you can help with?15) When was the last time you referred business to your client? When was the last time you were a matchmaker and put your client in touch with someone in your network who could help them?

Do you spend time regularly thinking about your clients and how you can grow that business?

When was the last time you called your client with an idea or suggestion?

Please, please, please don't tell me that you call to "check in". Don't ever call to check in. Have a purpose and be creative enough to say something other than that! Unless, of course, you want to sound like every Tom, Dick and everyone else being a Dick with that line from the isle of misfit sales reps!

You should have a written account plan for each and every one of your accounts. Review it regularly and consider it a living, breathing document.

Finally . . . Make sure you are doing everything, and I mean everything between ethical and legal to make your clients look like rock stars. Trust me when I tell you, they need some good press with all the downsizing going on.

Remember, protect your turf. That picture of Homer Simpson all pissed off should be you protecting your money! Don't you dare focus so much on the new business that you let your guard down. There's lots of A-Holes like me out there these days teaching reps to take your business when you do!

Happy Selling and Happy Ass Kicking to anyone trying to take your business!

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Paul Castain is the Vice President of Sales Development for Consolidated Graphics (CGX) one of North America’s leading general commercial printing companies. Paul has over 25 years of sales and sales leadership experience. He has trained, mentored and coached over 3,000 sales and sales leadership professionals. An accomplished public speaker, Paul has delivered numerous key note addresses. He has authored numerous training manuals, articles, blog posts and is currently working on his first book for release in 2011. Feel free to email Paul ctstrainer@yahoo.com.
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Paul Castain's Sales Play Book is blog dedicated to strengthening our sales game, supporting rock star development and developing jedi like skills. All that is required is a willingness to learn and a sick sense of humor!